Young Women, Again
I realize that we female blog owners are rare, but I hope our opinions aren't. Here's a link to a good discussion thread about non-voting young women on Kos.

What's up with the women (voters)!?

When I was young(er), I was active politically too. In my extreme youth, I was there because it was where the guys were, not necessarily the hunky but boring jock-guys (who were in any case way out of my league, not that I'm a dog), but the interesting ones who were good in bed and would probably make a lot of money some day.

Is it still like this? Or is it too much like hanging out with your mom's and gramma's crowd?

Packs of anorexic, identical-looking girls (I hesitate to call them young women) with streaky hair and low riding jeans often pass me as I do voter registration and simply do not even see that I'm there (having merely a pleasant let's-not-call-it-middle-aged appearance), or else giggle when I ask if they're registered to vote, like they've never heard of such a thing before.

Or the nihilistic, cigarette-smoking, gothy, college-types who simply avoid looking at you at all as they pass by, often with a corresponding male number, who is often the anorexic member of the pair. Are they, too, making a statement against all things that look parental?

I know my generally good-natured niece has often yelled, "Just quit bugging me!" when I try to gently probe her thoughts. I don't know how much good "Rock the Vote" does either, if the bands involved are something you'd never ever pay money for anyway.

It can't all be hair and thongs and diet and empty pretty eyes like our role models on "Elimidate." Men will still love you and want to marry you even if you do vote (I hear tell). How to get to them?

Numerous other good discussions about post-, post-post feminism, and the original, crunchy variety can be found at Mouse Words, and on various referenced blogs. Identity politics has never been my style, but maybe this year it has to be, at least a little more. One good thing about the internet is its anonymous nature. It gives you the illusion that we're all one big world, gender-less, race-less, nation-less, age-less. Sadly, we're not.

- posted by Cynthia @ 11:07 AM | | | Link |